While the magical allure surrounding St. Patrick’s Day is as enchanting and green as ever, it’s worth noting that engaging in special themes movies makes the holiday all the more exciting. And no, you don’t have to head to the end of the rainbow to find a film in the ever-popular slasher series Leprechaun.
The highly entertaining horror series initially began all the way back in 1993, and despite starting a bit later than the giants that rule the slasher roost, it’s established itself as a guilty pleasure for many horror fans over the past quarter-century. More specifically, the horror community has since declared the franchise as featuring a variety of cult classics.
Its main appeal, of course, is thanks to its diminutive menace, Lubdan the Leprechaun, who is portrayed by actor Warwick Davis in most of the movies. That being said, it’s Lubdan’s mischievous and terrifying antics that open up the franchise to some truly ludicrous scenarios, but there’s simply no denying how alluring all of it is.
With a taste for murderous vengeance caused by the theft of his precious gold, Lubdan’s continuing search for different things connect the series. Not caring how much harm he causes to reach them, the films have seen him on the hunt for magic flutes, a bride, and his famous missing treasure. Of course, the Leprechaun often has an ulterior motive and a few tricks up his sleeve.
The Leprechaun saga has traveled from Ireland a millennia ago to Las Vegas, from North Dakota to Los Angeles, and perhaps most terrifyingly of all, from alien worlds to, on two occasions, “the Hood.” In 2014, the franchise rebooted, providing a new origin for the green-clad slasher, followed by what stands as the final movie in the saga, Leprechaun Returns.
The antics of Lubdan are a popular watch at Halloween, but have found an understandable home on St. Patrick’s Day, mainly thanks to SyFy’s traditional annual screening of every installment.
How many movies are in the Leprechaun franchise?
To date, the Leprechaun has taken the lead in eight movies:
- Leprechaun (1993)
- Leprechaun 2 (1994)
- Leprechaun 3 (1995)
- Leprechaun 4: In Space (1997)
- Leprechaun in the Hood (2000)
- Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha Hood (2003)
- Leprechaun: Origins (2014)
- Leprechaun Returns (2018)
The first two films were physically released in movie theaters, but following a poor response to the second installment, future plans were changed and the rest of the movies in the franchise were released straight to video.
Not only were theatrical changes made in regards to the long-standing horror franchise, but its casting changes were evident as well. More specifically, Warwick Davis doesn’t take the lead role as Lubdan in the two reboot movies, which sit outside the established continuity: Leprechaun: Origins and Leprechaun Returns.
Considering the eye-popping amount of movies in the series, our guide on how you watch The Leprechaun movies will help you watch them in the correct order of release, both original franchise and reboots.